Dee Stakes and Prix de Guiche.
May 11, 2012
Two trails at Chester and Chantilly separated by fifteen minutes.
They’ve both produced winners recently of the Derby and Prix Du Jockey Club. Oath in 1999 and Kris Kin in 2003 were winners of the Dee Stakes before Epsom glory while Lawman won the Prix de Guiche in 2007 before taking top honours in the French Derby.
Six go in the Dee Stakes headed by Bonfire for Andrew Balding who is presently second favourite for the Derby. Two runs at two, he was a winner of a Salisbury maiden over Cubanita, third in the Cheshire Oaks on Tuesday, and had a big run behind French Fifteen in the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint Cloud in October. He saw daylight late in the race and ran on really well to take third. He would have been a lot closer with a clear run and could well have won. After the second in the Guineas from the French colt it is easy to understand his position in the Derby market. Promising.
He is opposed by Astrology who had three runs as a two year old. He took his maiden at Leopardstown winning first time out as a second string for Ballydoyle who then pitched him in at Group 2 level in the Futurity where he went down to Dragon Pulse, a winner over Dabirism this term, and Parish Hall, the Dewhurst winner. Very decent form. A trip to Newmarket for the Autumn Stakes didn’t work so well but he seemed to have difficulty handling the Newmarket undulations and will be better suited by this flatter track.
Uriah Heep represents Sir Michael Stoute. He was second in a maiden to Andrew Balding’s Minimise Risk in April which was a step up on his only juvenile run when fifth at Newmarket. You would worry about the stables slow start to the season especially considering last years under performance.
Prince Alzain for Gerard Butler took a step up in class in listed company when finding Talwar too good at Lingfield. He was twice a winner previously at Wolverhampton. He will need to translate and up the form to the turf if he is to win here. Kieren Fallon rides Oxford Charley who is also stepping up having come fourth in the Feilden Stakes recently.
The same number go to post in Paris fifteen minutes after Chester’s 2.05 post time. The unbeaten one in the field is Xanandou from the Jean Claude Rouget stable. His three runs have been in Bordeaux and he is united with Christophe Soumillon for the first time.
So Fast for Freddie Head has the best form in the race. He was second in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Lus Lagardere on Arc day behind Dabirsim. On his return as a three year old in the Prix De Fontaineblue he confirmed that form when again behind Dabirism taking third place. This was the race won by Dragon Pulse where the aforementioned Christophe Soumillon admired the Lonchamp scenery, some say to cost him the race. It may not have been so, it may well be that Dragon Pulse was simply the better three year old.
If so, a win for Astrology at Chester, out gunned by Dragon Pulse in the Futurity, will point to a win for So Fast at Chantilly. Whether it’s just fifteen minutes of fame, time will tell.
